Manufacturing layered products

Abstract

A manufacturing line for manufacturing layered products, comprising a plurality of manufacturing stations disposed along a transportation track of a transportation system. The plurality of manufacturing stations includes a number of layer dispensing stations, the transportation system comprising a plurality of product holders that are each arranged to be moved individually along the transportationtrack to visit manufacturing stations along the transportation track. The product holders are arranged to hold a stack of layers, and the transportation track includes a loop and a router. The routeris arranged to route product holders to revisit manufacturing stations via the loop in the transportation track.

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the manufacture of layered products, in particular layered products comprising stacked sheets of fiber reinforced material as layers. Background technique

[0002] Such sheets or "layers" may, for example, be cut into rectangular sheets from relatively narrow strips of fiber-reinforced tape, e.g. Cut out of material roll. Such tapes or rolls can be produced, for example, by impregnating planar layers of parallel, longitudinally extending continuous fibers with a matrix material. Fibers may, for example, include carbon fibers, aramid fibers, or other types of reinforcing fibers, and matrix materials may, for example, include thermoplastic or thermoset matrix materials. Fiber reinforcements can be dry, but also wet or impregnated. Additionally, the cut sheet may include a backing material.

[0003] During the manufacturing process, sheets or "layers" are stacked as layers in a stack, usually a stack of sheets with mut...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0028] refer to figure 1 , which shows a schematic perspective view of a production line 1 for producing a layered product 2 . The production line comprises three production stations 3 arranged along a transport track 4 of a transport system 5 . In this example, all manufacturing stations 3 are layer distribution stations 6a, 6a', 6b. The transport track 4 comprises a track 7 along which the floor distribution stations 6a, 6b are placed. The transport system 5 comprises a plurality of product holders 8 arranged to hold a stack 9 of layers 10 . The stack 9 comprises stacked sheets of fiber reinforced material as layers 10 . Layer 10 may comprise a single piece of fibrous reinforcement, but may also comprise several adjacent pieces of fibrous reinforcement. The stack 9 may comprise a layer 10 comprising a material other than fibre-reinforced material. The stack 9 may also comprise a layer 10 consisting of a material other than fibre-reinforced material, such as a metal foil...

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the manufacture of layered products, in particular layered products comprising stacked sheets of fiber reinforced material as layers. Background technique

[0002] Such sheets or "layers" may, for example, be cut into rectangular sheets from relatively narrow strips of fiber-reinforced tape, e.g. Cut out of material roll. Such tapes or rolls can be produced, for example, by impregnating planar layers of parallel, longitudinally extending continuous fibers with a matrix material. Fibers may, for example, include carbon fibers, aramid fibers, or other types of reinforcing fibers, and matrix materials may, for example, include thermoplastic or thermoset matrix materials. Fiber reinforcements can be dry, but also wet or impregnated. Additionally, the cut sheet may include a backing material.

[0003] During the manufacturing process, sheets or "layers" are stacked as layers in a stack, usually a stack of sheets with mut...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0028] refer to figure 1 , which shows a schematic perspective view of a production line 1 for producing a layered product 2 . The production line comprises three production stations 3 arranged along a transport track 4 of a transport system 5 . In this example, all manufacturing stations 3 are layer distribution stations 6a, 6a', 6b. The transport track 4 comprises a track 7 along which the floor distribution stations 6a, 6b are placed. The transport system 5 comprises a plurality of product holders 8 arranged to hold a stack 9 of layers 10 . The stack 9 comprises stacked sheets of fiber reinforced material as layers 10 . Layer 10 may comprise a single piece of fibrous reinforcement, but may also comprise several adjacent pieces of fibrous reinforcement. The stack 9 may comprise a layer 10 comprising a material other than fibre-reinforced material. The stack 9 may also comprise a layer 10 consisting of a material other than fibre-reinforced material, such as a metal foil...

Images